This invention relates to hand-held signals such as used by school guards and road construction personnel. It relates especially a lightweight, easily constructed, signal.
Hand-held traffic control signals are well known. A large number of these consists of an octagonal frame with a handle extending out at the lower side. That type signal has a face which is usually red with xe2x80x9cSTOPxe2x80x9d in bold letters across the face. For some uses, one side may be amber with the letters xe2x80x9cSLOWxe2x80x9d on that face. These have served a useful purpose in the past and have been widely used. However, some of these are not as easily seen in inclimate weather or in the darkness as desired. Various lighted sign structures have been suggested and many have been patented. These tend to be heavier than the aforementioned hand-held signals and over a period of time tires the worker too severely. Many of these illuminated hand-held signals are heavier than desired and do not make use of reflective material as may be desired.
This invention concerns a hand-held signal which is relatively lightweight and which attracts attention during inclimate conditions. It includes a front unitary side and a back unitary side. In a preferred embodiment the two sides are nearly symmetrical. The first or front side is basically of an octagonal shaped edge with a half battery housing at the lower part of the edge. The area (or face) inside the edge is of a reflective material. The half battery housing, the edge, the reflective face and the light casing are of unitary construction. A mold is used to construct this of polyethylene. The top edge of the side of the octagonal edge where the half battery casing is, is half a light cylinder which is perpendicular to the face and made integral therewith.
The back side or half of the signal likewise has an edge and a reflective surface in between there, a half battery housing and a half light cylinder.
When the front side and the back side are placed together the two one-half battery housing at the lower end fit together to form a complete battery housing and a convenient handle for the signal. The top of the hand-held signal has a two half light cylinders which align to form a complete light cylinder. A light bulb is provided inside the complete light cylinder. Lenses are provided at each end of the completed signal.
The lower end of each half of the one-half battery housing is provided with threads so that when they are fit together they form a completed fitted surface for a cap to screw on which holds the batteries firmly in the completed handle or battery housing which are the same.
It is desired to put a command or signal in letter form on both the front and back reflector surfaces or faces. Each face has indentations in the form of a word such as xe2x80x9cSTOPxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cSLOW.xe2x80x9d Reflective tape of a desired color is placed in these indentations. In the preferred embodiment, each reflective surface is concave to improve the reflectivity.
Means are provided to secure the entire front side to the entire back side and in this event there will be a hollow space between the front and rear reflector. It is through this space that the electrical wiring from the batteries to the light is run. Proper switching including flashing switches are provided.
It is an object of this invention to obtain a reasonably lightweight hand-held signal which makes use of excellent reflective materials.
It is another object to have a unitary front side and a unitary back side which fit together to form the main structure of a hand-held signal.
Various further objects will become apparent by reason of the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.